stickshift

Since yesterday morning, every time I turn left, my car's brake warning light comes on. When I go straight again, it goes out. WTF?

The rear wheel cylinders, shoes and drums were replaced a few weeks ago;

front pads are good; one front caliper was replaced about two years ago after it seized.

Currently, the fluid lever in the brake fluid reservoir is about halfway between the upper and lower marks.

My shop replaced the rear wheel cylinders (I did the pads and drums myself about a week after that), so I don't remember if it was full all the way after they did the work.

The car still stops fine, the pedal feel is normal, and the light does not come on when I press the brake pedal.

I'm going to take a look at the car this week to try to find the problem, if there is one.

Does anyone have any ideas where I should look for a possible problem?

[ November 19, 2002, 06:03 AM: Message edited by: stickshift ]

Random

2 things to check.

E-brake cable. Make 100% sure it is adjusted properly and that the cable is not binding on anything under the car.

Brake fluid level. When you turn, the fluid sloshes to one side, setting off the low fluid sensor.

stickshift

I know that one of the e-brake cables needs to be replaced, but I haven't done it yet... so I'll check on that.

And as for the fluid level, I had thought of that too. I'll top up the fluid and see if that helps.

Thanks for the advice, Random!

C.

stickshift

Alright... the thing with the light coming on.. that was just the low fluid level sloshing around. I topped up the reservoir and that solved THAT problem.
The pedal is still a little soft... I'm gonna take a look at the car tomorrow (hopefully) and bleed the brakes and look for leaks and keep an eye on the fluid level to see if it goes back down.

One more question... I bought brake fluid last night and it's clear... but the stuff that was already in the reservoir looked brownish (at least it did through the plastic of the reservoir.
Is this normal? I started pouring it and then stopped cos I was freaking out that I'd bought the wrong stuff... but it is Valvoline DOT 3 fluid... since when is ANY automotive fluid clear? I thought they all had some kind of colour to them...

Mike Free

Heh... after 5 or 6 brake changes in sll my cars, I can tell you brake fluid turns brownish almost overnight. It's leftover brake fluid and "debris" in the lines, it gets back into the reservoir when you release the brake because the fluid pushes back through the lines.

It's not a big deal, unless you can't see *through* the fluid... then it's flush time.

stickshift

Well, my shop just replaced the rear wheel cylinders about six weeks ago, so they would have at least bled the brakes and replaced som fluid, so I'm not too worried.
I just thought it was brown right out of the bottle.

Thanks Mike!

Random

If that is the case you are not flushing your system completely, or your system is not air/fluid tight.

I change my fluid every 12,000 miles. Clutch and Brake. It is ALWAYS clear. Even after 12,000 miles, it just has a HINT of color to it.

If your fluid is brown, change/flush it.

Mike Free

I wasn't flushing the system at all. The way I used to drive my car... I'd waste a set of pads in 30,000 miles. I was more interested in keeping the car on the road than keeping it race ready... I became expert at the 30 minute driveway pad/rotor change. Plus, it was 17 years old at the time, so I'd expect a little crap in the system.

Only once did I ever have fading problems, that's when Sears put contaminated fluid in the system and the water boiled out. *Then* I flushed it clean.